1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inhibitor switch whose contact positions are switched in accordance with selected positions of an automatic transmission used in an automobile, and more particularly, to an improvement of an inhibitor switch having contacts formed of a magnetic sensor and a permanent magnet.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional inhibitor switch is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Preliminary Publication No. 59-146222. This conventional inhibitor switch has a permanent magnet fittingly bonded to a lever using an adhesive, and a main body insert-molded with a printed circuit board having a magnet-detecting element mounted thereon.
An important characteristic of an inhibitor switch is that the contacts of the switch have high dimensional accuracy. However, the conventional inhibitor switch is of a simple structure in which the permanent magnet is attached to an end portion of the lever and is merely rotated. With this construction, the permanent magnet is apt to rattle, and therefore, the magnet sensor cannot accurately detect the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet. Thus, the selected positions of the lever cannot be accurately detected.